FURLA

FURLA

ABOUT FURLA

Furla. Tradition that is constantly renewed.

Furla today. A truly Italian company with its headquarters in Bologna, yet a protagonist on the international stage. Creativity strictly made in Italy and an essential, innovative style that has made its mark all over the world.

Furla was created by the Furlanetto family over 80 years ago and is one of the few Italian firms today that still maintains family ownership combined with a modern managerial structure. It is the source of an outpouring of dynamism on all fronts: entrepreneurship, distribution and communication. The company is constantly evolving and at the same time rich in tradition with a long history.

The history of Furla begins in Italy in 1927 in the erudite and sophisticated city of Bologna. Protagonists Aldo and Margherita Fulanetto set themselves the challenge of starting a company- one that was eventually to grow into a world-renowned leather-goods brand. It was the post-war period and the company aimed to provide women with any type of fashion object or accessory that they may desire. It was an adventure, first commercial then industrial, which was inextricably linked to the lifestyle of the times. The company was able to follow the rhythms and evolution of society until the economic boom, narrating the story of its customs through Furla’s own products.

In 1955 Aldo opened the first Furla store on Via Ugo Bassi in the heart of Bologna.

In the Nineteen Seventies, when the baton was passed on to his children Giovanna, Carlo and Paolo Furlanetto, the first collection of bags marked with the Furla logo was launched. Thanks to their avant-garde stylistic choices, unusual production methods and the use of atypical materials such as nylon and rubber, success came immediately. It was a decisive change of vision and strategy that met the needs of a new society, with stronger, independent, emancipated women who paid attention to emerging fashions. The collections grew at the same pace as the company. It was the dawning of the Nineteen Eighties.

Giovanna flanked her father with her own stylistic contributions, while Carlo and Paolo were mostly in charge of the brand’s strategy for growth. Furla invented a new concept of luxury that was close to every woman and immediately became an international “must.” High quality, classic lines and functionality were the distinguishing features of the bags in their collections.

After Bologna, Rome and Paris, the store on Madison Avenue in New York was opened.

In the Nineteen Eighties a far-sighted distribution network was in the planning stages. Today it covers no less than 63 foreign markets from Europe to Asia and the United States, with 5 subsidiaries, 319 single-brand Furla boutiques positioned on the most important international shopping streets and 1,290 sales outlets from shops to department stores. In late 2008 the company also inaugurated its pan-European web boutique and an international expansion plan that saw the opening of major flagship stores in Rome, London, Hong Kong and Beijing.

The new managerial organisation and the innovation-filled company vision have led Furla to cultivate a strong commitment both to art and to the promotion of young talents in fashion design. In 2008 the Fondazione Furla was created which promotes the Premio Furla per l’Arte award aimed at emerging Italian artists on the contemporary scene.

In the meantime the international commercial and distribution strategies have led- and continue to lead- to growing success. In 2011 the company recorded a turnover of 179 million Euros, a goal achieved with full respect for the Italian design that remains at the heart of every decision.